Charlie's First Day
by WayLowHalo
Summary: Eleven year old Charlie's first day of high school. Don is not happy, Charlie is scared, and the other students... well... Is there anyway this can end well? Rated for language because... well, because it's high school.


**_Disclaimer_**_: _Numb3rs_ and all related characters, most notably Don and Charlie, do not, and unfortunately never will, belong to me. _

_Author's Note__: Woohoo! My first _Numb3rs_ fic! I found the show on Netflix a while back and realized something very important... it revolves around two brothers! _

_Well. That was apparently all that was needed for me to fall in love with it. So, without further ado..._

**Charlie's First Day**

"Time for bed, sweetie," Margaret Eppes announced to her youngest son.

"Mo-om," Charlie protested from his spot on the floor where he was scribbling into a notebook. "I want to get these problems out of my head!"

"No arguments, Charlie. Tomorrow is your first day of high school. You need your rest," Margaret said firmly.

Charlie sighed, glancing across the room to where his older brother was slumped on the couch watching TV. "What about Don?" he asked tentatively.

"Not my first day of high school, runt," the sixteen year old muttered without looking at his brother.

"Don't worry about Don, Charlie," Margaret said and Charlie sighed again, nodding reluctantly.

"Well… good night then," he said softly in his brother's direction and Don grunted, again without looking away from the TV.

Margaret glanced at her eldest with disapproval but held her silence as she led Charlie out of the room.

* * *

Charlie crept nervously into his older brother's room. Normally Don welcomed him at night when he couldn't sleep or when he had a nightmare but lately…

Lately Don had been treating him differently.

Ever since they had found out Charlie was going to go to Don's school.

Charlie didn't think Don was very happy about it.

"Don?" Charlie whispered now and in the dark he could just make out his brother stirring on the bed.

"What do you want, Chuck?" Don said and he called him 'Chuck' but his tone was harsh and tired and annoyed and Charlie winced.

"I can't sleep."

"Well, what do you want me to do about it?" Don snapped.

Charlie fought tears.

He wouldn't cry.

"What's high school like?" he asked timidly.

"You'll find out soon enough, now go back to bed, Charlie," Don said angrily. "Get out of here!"

Charlie stifled a sob and quickly backed out of the bedroom.

He wasn't going to cry.

And, in his own room, staring up at his ceiling, if a few tears slipped out, well… Don didn't need to know.

* * *

"Charlie, get your ass out here!" Don yelled from the front door.

"Don, don't curse at your brother," Alan said mildly.

"Sure thing, Dad," Don muttered, rolling his eyes, as Charlie came hurrying out of the kitchen holding a partially eaten piece of toast.

"I'm choosing to ignore the language, Donald, but what's the big rush?" Margaret asked reprovingly, following after Charlie. "Am I supposed to believe you're this eager to get to school?"

"Mom, I told you, I've gotta pick Shane up too," Don said impatiently.

"All right, have a good day, boys," Alan said, motioning them out the door. "You don't want to be late on Charlie's first day. Don, keep an eye on your little brother."

"Yeah, yeah," Don muttered, giving Charlie a shove toward his car. "Backseat, runt."

* * *

"Hey, it's the littlest Eppes! I forgot the boy genius was going to our school now!" Shane said with a grin as he slid into the passenger seat of Don's car.

"Wish I could forget," Don muttered as he backed out of his friend's driveway.

"I give him a day," Shane laughed. "People are gonna be lining up to have him do their homework for them."

"That's cheating," Charlie said from the backseat and Shane laughed again.

"Only if you get caught, Little Eppes."

"No, I'm pretty sure it's cheating even if you're not caught," Charlie couldn't help but say. "And I don't cheat."

"Too bad," Shane said, eyeing Charlie through the rearview mirror, expression unreadable. "You could make good money. _We_ could make good money. What do you say, Don?"

Don chuckled then, rolling his eyes, an amused grin on his face and Charlie couldn't help but notice it was the most good cheer he had seen on his brother's face since he'd found out over the weekend about Charlie switching schools. "Some good can come from having the runt around yet, huh?" he laughed.

Charlie bit his lip and tried to tell himself Don didn't mean that the way it sounded.

* * *

Charlie struggled to keep up with Don and Shane as they breezed through the halls laughing and joking and greeting people. This place was so _big!_ How was he ever going to find his way around on his own?

"Don?" he asked timidly as his older brother gave a boy Charlie had never met a high five. "Do you know where I'm supposed to go?"

Glancing over his shoulder at the eleven year old, Don sighed. "Front office would be a good bet, since it's your first day," he said to the general snickers of some of his friends.

Charlie flushed. "Where… where is it?"

Don sighed again, frustrated. "I thought you and Mom toured the school over the weekend."

"Yeah, we did, but… it looks different when it's filled with people," Charlie said hesitantly and some of Don's friends laughed again.

Don rolled his eyes. "Fine," he said shortly. "I'll show you. Catch you guys later," he said, adding the last part to his friends.

"Right here. Front office. At the front of the school. Go figure," Don said a couple minutes later. Charlie eyed it nervously and Don rolled his eyes again, shaking his head and stepping into the office.

"Mr. Eppes. Surely you haven't done anything to merit a visit here this early in the day?" the receptionist questioned when she spotted him.

"Hey, Mrs. Kittredge," Don greeted. "Nah, just showing my brother where the office is."

"Ah, Charles Eppes, our resident genius!" Mrs. Kittredge exclaimed, noticing Charlie and smiling at him.

Irritation flickered across Don's face and he scowled. "I've got to get to class," he said abruptly, turning to leave.

"Wait!" Charlie called without thinking, a flash of panic coursing through him.

"What?" Don snapped impatiently.

"I… uh…"

Charlie swallowed, trying to still his sudden fear and Don's expression darkened.

"I'm gonna be late, Charlie."

"I just… thought you were going to stay a little longer," Charlie said lamely, feeling very young and out of place.

"You're a big boy now. A high school student and everything," Don said mockingly. "I'll see you later."

And with that he was gone.

"But I don't know where my first class is," Charlie whispered to the empty doorway.

* * *

The day passed fairly well for Don, all things considered, and when lunch time rolled around he was in a mostly good mood.

And if there was a voice in the back of his head that whispered that he'd been a little harsh with Charlie earlier… well… he tried not to consider it too closely. The kid could use someone being a little tough on him. And really, was he supposed to be _happy_ to have his _eleven_ year old brother in his high school with him? He already looked like an idiot next to Charlie and this… this just made it worse.

And, yeah, okay, maybe that wasn't Charlie's fault but…

Forcibly Don shook his head, as though he could physically shake the thoughts from his mind.

Wouldn't that be nice?

Lunch was almost over and he and a few other guys were heading to the bathroom before they had to go to their next class.

The stall at the end of the bathroom was occupied but the room was otherwise empty and Don and his friends were joking and shoving each other when they heard it.

A muffled sniffle.

They all looked at each other. Don's friend Scott raised an eyebrow. "Dude," he said in a loud mock whisper. "I think someone's crying!"

Don frowned, glancing at the closed stall door while his friends laughed.

"I guess it's just been one of those days," Tony said loudly and with fake compassion, shaking his head and the person in the stall's breathing hitched audibly.

"Don," Rick, the only of Don's friends that hadn't laughed said softly, his expression thoughtful. "You don't think…"

Don shook his head, slowly getting closer to the stall where the crying was coming from. Through the crack he managed to catch a glimpse of curly hair and his stomach clenched.

The bell signaling the end of lunch rang then and his friends groaned.

"Back to hell," Scott said jokingly as they headed for the door.

"Coming, Don?" Rick asked, still eyeing him.

Don sighed. "You guys go on without me. I'll see you later."

Rick smiled at him as he left, something like approval in his eyes as the rest of their friends shrugged and headed off to class as well.

"Yo, runt. That you in there?" Don asked, voice gruff, once his friends were gone, rapping on the stall door.

Charlie, because he knew it was Charlie, sniffled but didn't answer.

"Runt?"

"Go away," Charlie yelled then, and if Don had any doubts about whether or not his brother was crying they were gone now. Charlie's voice left no room for doubt. He'd seen and heard him in tears enough to be able to recognize the sound of them.

Don closed his eyes, fingers massaging the bridge of his nose for a moment.

"Charlie, come on, open the door."

"No! Just go away! You don't want to be _late_, do you?"

Don winced.

Damn. He supposed he deserved that.

"Charlie…"

Don sighed, taking a deep breath and softening his tone.

"What do you want me to say? Just open the door, buddy, come on."

For a moment Charlie didn't respond and then Don heard another sniffle and the sound of Charlie slowly getting to his feet and then, hesitantly, the door opened and Don had to draw in a quick breath, trying to stifle the rage that coursed through him at the sight of his little brother.

Tears still streamed down Charlie's cheeks and he was holding a wadded up piece of toilet paper to his nose where someone had _punched_ him.

Don had to fight to keep his voice steady.

He was going to _kill_ the moron who thought he could lay a hand on his little brother.

"Charlie…"

And something in his voice must have told Charlie that his anger wasn't for him at the moment because, with a little cry, the younger boy launched himself at his big brother, his whole body trembling as he cried in earnest now.

Startled, Don automatically wrapped his arms around him in response. "Sssh. Hey. Hey, it's going to be okay."

For a few moments he allowed Charlie to just cling and when his sobs quieted, Don gently leaned back, holding Charlie at arm's length so he could get a good look at his face.

Charlie didn't meet his eyes.

"Who did this?"

Charlie shook his head. "Nobody," he muttered.

"That's a lot of blood for nobody," Don said carefully and Charlie's breath hitched again.

"Don… please," he said, voice small, and Don could see he was trying not to cry again.

"All right," Don said with a sigh. He would let it go for the moment. But he _would_ find out who had the nerve to hurt his little brother. "Let's get you to the nurse, buddy."

* * *

The nurse thanked Don for escorting Charlie and wanted him to go back to class right away.

Charlie had other ideas. He clung to the sleeve of his older brother's shirt and buried his head against Don's chest when the nurse tried to look at him.

She let Don stay.

Not that Don had intended on leaving anyway.

He'd left earlier, before Charlie was ready for him to, knowing full well how scared his little brother had been, and now he was standing in the nurse's office with a bloody Charlie in tow.

Don wasn't entirely sure how, or even if, the two events were connected but he wasn't going to make the same mistake twice.

With some coaxing Charlie allowed the nurse to look at his nose but, as he had with Don, he refused to tell her who had done it.

The nurse gave him a cold compress and said she had to call their parents.

Don sighed. His parents would freak.

He supposed though, that it was at least a good thing Charlie was being treated as a victim, and not someone who had willingly gotten into a fight.

Even if he wasn't telling anyone _who_ had done it.

Don frowned. He _would_ find out.

The nurse got a hold of their mother, who asked to speak to Charlie. Don gathered that she wanted to come and take Charlie home but Charlie, to Don's slight surprise, was adamant that he wanted to stay and finish out the day.

Margaret asked to speak to Don next and Charlie silently handed over the phone and his mother's voice was suddenly in his ear.

_Was Charlie okay? Could he manage the rest of the day?_

Don eyed Charlie as he considered his answer.

The blood had been washed off of his face and his eyes were red and swollen from tears but he wasn't crying anymore and something like… determination… defiance… sparked in his eyes.

Don felt a rush of pride.

He would still beat the snot out of the asshole that had done this but…

"Charlie will be fine, Mom," he told Margaret.

* * *

The nurse gave both boys a pass that excused them from being late and Don walked Charlie to his next class and promised to meet him at the end of the day.

Charlie gave Don one of those grateful, adoring smiles that, at times like this, always made him feel a little unworthy, before visibly steeling himself and entering his classroom.

Don watched him from the doorway for a moment, clenching his jaw as some of the other students jeered at Charlie as he walked by, before turning and heading to his own class.

Something had to be done.

He hadn't really considered how the other students would respond to Charlie. He'd been so caught up worrying about how they would treat _him_ when they found out his little brother was in their school now that he had forgotten it might be difficult for Charlie too.

Now that it had occurred to him though… he had to find some way to send out the message that Charlie was off limits.

Realistically, he couldn't make everyone treat Charlie well but… he could at least discourage _physical_ attacks against him, right?

Pensively Don entered his classroom. This would require some thought. And he would have to be careful.

* * *

When the final bell of the day rang Don quickly grabbed his stuff and headed for Charlie's last class like he had promised.

Charlie, however, wasn't there.

An uneasy feeling clenched in Don's gut.

Charlie should be here.

Quickly Don glanced around. Where would Charlie have gone?

Just as Don was starting to panic, wondering what direction he should look in first he heard a voice cry out in the next hallway around the corner.

_Charlie._

Don ran, quickly rounding the corner… and froze.

Shane.

His best friend.

His best friend had Charlie shoved against the lockers with an arm pressed against his throat.

For a moment Don couldn't move; his mind unable to comprehend what he was seeing.

_His best friend._

Charlie whimpered then, breaking through his shock, and Don started forward.

Neither Charlie nor Shane had seen him yet.

"What are you gonna do about it, Little Eppes?" Shane was saying viciously, his face pressed up close to Charlie's. "Can't go running to big brother, he'd never believe you. And even if he did, he's my best friend! He'd side with me!"

Don clenched his fists. He was pretty sure he'd now found out who had punched Charlie earlier… and why Charlie hadn't wanted to tell him.

"There's no one to help you, Little Eppes, you might as well do what I want unless you want a black eye to go with your nose," Shane hissed.

Don saw red.

Next thing he knew he was slamming Shane against the lockers and holding him in much the same position the other boy had Charlie in a moment before.

"Want to rethink that, Shane?" Don snarled, pressing his arm against his friend's throat.

"Don," Shane gasped out as best as he could. "Don, it's not what you think!"

"Really? I'd say it's exactly what I think and you better fucking watch yourself, Shane!" Don said fiercely, giving the other boy a hard shake and slamming him against the lockers a second time.

Shane cried out in pain and suddenly there were hands trying to wrestle Don away.

"Donald Eppes!" Mr. Thurman, Don's history teacher was suddenly saying. "Let go of him, now!"

"Do you hear me, Shane?" Don said, ignoring the teacher, all of his focus on the person he'd thought was his best friend.

The person who was apparently hurting and threatening his little brother.

The thought made Don feel sick.

"Mr. Eppes!" Mr. Thurman said again, still tugging at him. "Someone help me!" he called out.

"If you ever lay a hand on him again…"

"Donnie?"

Charlie's voice was quiet and scared and it instantly snapped Don out of his rage. All the same he leaned in close to Shane to whisper one last thing in his ear, watching with satisfaction as the color drained from his face before he released him and stepped back, holding his hands up.

"I'm good. I'm calm," he told Mr. Thurman and the two teachers who had rushed to his aid, carefully stepping back and turning to where Charlie was slumped on the floor a few feet away against the lockers.

"Do you mind explaining what you were thinking Mr. Eppes, attacking another student in the hallway?" one of them said sharply as Don helped an unsteady Charlie to his feet.

Before Don could answer though another voice spoke up. "Don was only helping his kid brother. Shane's been bullying him. Eppes caught him in the act."

Don glanced up and met Rick's eyes even as the teacher who had accused him finally seemed to notice Charlie. Don nodded gratefully at Rick as Charlie trembled in the crook of his arm.

"Ah. Well. Maybe you should take Charles to the nurse's office, Mr. Eppes. We'll take care of it from here," Mr. Thurman said after a moment, and, with a last glance at Shane, Don nodded stiffly and guided his little brother away.

When they rounded the corner and were out of sight, Don looked Charlie up and down, considering. He still looked scared but there didn't seem to be any new bruises on him. Shane had only threatened him.

This time.

Forcing that thought from his mind for now Don spoke softly. "You okay, Chuck?"

Charlie nodded shakily and impulsively Don pulled him into a hug for the second time that day.

Instantly Charlie hugged him back.

"Thank you," he whispered into his older brother's shirt and Don closed his eyes; suddenly remembering that the last thing his father had said to him that morning was to keep an eye on Charlie.

All in all he didn't think he'd done a very good job.

"Come on," he muttered after a moment and it wasn't until they were out in the parking lot that Charlie spoke again, a puzzled frown on his face.

"Aren't we supposed to go to the nurse?"

Don raised a brow at him. "I only agreed to that so they would let us go but if you think you need to…"

"No!" Charlie said quickly. "I don't need to!"

Don hid a grin and nodded. "Let's go home then, buddy."

* * *

Pulling into the driveway of their house Don pulled the keys out of the ignition and sat back for a moment, suddenly feeling exhausted.

It had been one hell of a day.

Idly he wondered how Shane had gotten home.

The thought gave him a certain grim satisfaction.

Charlie watched him hesitantly from the passenger seat.

"Don?"

"Yeah, buddy?" Don murmured.

"What—what did you say to Shane?" Charlie asked, his voice small.

"What do you mean?" Don questioned, confused, turning to look at his brother.

Charlie took a deep breath. "Right before you let him go. It looked like you whispered something to him."

_Ah._

"Saw that, did you?"

Charlie nodded, watching him, and Don sighed, glancing toward the house and debating with himself, remembering how Shane had told his little brother that there would be no one to help him. That he, Don, would never believe him.

"I told him that this wasn't over and I'm not finished with him yet," Don said finally, still watching the house, aware that their parents wouldn't let them sit out here forever and were probably eager to get their hands on Charlie and also aware that this had to be said. "Know why I told him that?" he asked.

"Why?" Charlie asked uncertainly.

Don faced him then and grinned, reaching out to ruffle Charlie's mop of dark curls. "Because no one messes with my little brother except me."

* * *

The rest of the evening passed without incident.

Margaret and Alan, predictably, fussed over Charlie and his swollen nose.

Charlie bore it with patience, seeming reluctant to stray too far from Don.

Don, though, found that for once he didn't really mind. After the day Charlie had just been through it could hardly hurt to have his little brother in his sights.

And now that he knew _who_ had been tormenting Charlie he managed to get his brother to tell him _why_ without much effort. It was the same idea he'd had in the car that morning apparently. Shane had wanted to charge people money and get Charlie to do their homework.

Charlie had refused, even after Shane had punched him.

Don wasn't sure which was stronger, his pride for Charlie or his anger at his former friend.

When Charlie's bed time rolled around Don grabbed his jacket.

"I've got something I need to take care of," he told his parents as he adjusted his collar, meeting his father's eyes across the room.

Margaret frowned; looking like she was about to protest but Alan beat her to it, his eyes locked on his eldest son.

"Let him go, honey. He'll be back within the hour, isn't that right, Don?"

"You bet," Don agreed, opening the door. "Night, Chuck," he called over his shoulder.

"Good night," Charlie said softly.

"Oh, and Donnie?" Alan spoke up right before Don shut the door.

"Yeah, Dad?"

"Be careful."

"Always," Don said, shutting the door behind him.

* * *

In his bed an hour later Charlie could hear the door downstairs opening and closing when Don arrived home and he laid very still, listening.

He could hear the murmur of his parent's voices and if he really concentrated he could just make out the sound of Don's voice answering.

The tone of his mother's voice sounded upset and Charlie's stomach clenched.

Was Don okay?

Don didn't seem to be saying much but what he could hear of his father's voice sounded reassuring and after a few moments he could hear Don coming up the stairs and heading straight for the bathroom.

Slowly Charlie got out of bed and stood uncertainly near his door.

He wanted to go see Don but… would he get in trouble… and would Don be okay with it?

Last night he hadn't welcomed Charlie.

Charlie swallowed nervously.

Tonight was different.

Nodding to himself, aware that his parents were still awake downstairs, he carefully pushed his door open.

Across the hall the bathroom door was open and Don was leaning across the sink looking into the mirror. There was blood on his lip and a little on his chin and at the quiet sound of Charlie's footsteps he looked up.

"Hey. What are you doing still awake?" he murmured softly and Charlie relaxed, relieved that Don wasn't ordering him back to bed.

"Are you okay?" he whispered worriedly, looking at his brother's split lip.

"Hmm? Oh. This?" Don glanced back at the mirror, lightly fingering his lip. "Yeah. I'll be fine. You should see the other guy."

Don grinned a little darkly as he wet a cloth with warm water and pressed it to his lip.

Charlie swallowed, wondering, Shane flashing through his mind and for a moment remembering what the older boy's punch had felt like.

Don studied him through the mirror as he washed the blood from his face. "You know he's not going to hurt you again, right?"

Slowly, Charlie nodded, meeting Don's gaze through the mirror.

"And not just Shane," Don said, finishing with the cloth and tossing it into the sink before turning to face his little brother, running a hand through his hair tiredly. "You have to know, Charlie, no matter what he said to you, no matter how mad I am at you, that I'm not going to just stand by and let someone hurt you. No matter who they are. All right?"

"All right," Charlie echoed, breaking eye contact and rubbing at his eyes, telling himself there was nothing to cry about and he heard Don sigh, felt him clap him on the shoulder.

"Okay then," the teenager said after a moment. "Well. It's been a long day. I'm going to bed. See you in the morning."

Charlie fought with himself. What he wanted… he wasn't sure his older brother would be too happy…

"Don?" he questioned, sniffling, and Don stopped at the doorway to his bedroom, turning back to him questioningly.

"Yeah, bro?"

"Can I… can I sleep with you tonight?" he asked haltingly and he saw his older brother's expression soften and felt himself relax in response.

"Yeah, buddy, you can sleep with me tonight," Don murmured, running a hand through his hair again and motioning Charlie through the door ahead of him.

And that night, nestled between the wall and Don, Charlie felt safe at last, secure in the knowledge that, no matter the threat, his big brother would protect him.

-**End**.

_A/N: Questions, thoughts, comments? Let me know!_


End file.
